Last month I had the opportunity to visit my friend's office. She works at a very relaxed and laid back PR firm--they even let you bring your dogs to work. As a dog lover (who hasn't owned a dog for years) this sounded like heaven. I walked into the office and my first thought was: how cute! My second thought was: how does anyone get any work done? After spending the day at this pet-friendly office, I have some points to consider before you bring Fido to your office.Allergies. Before you enforce a dog-as-the-office policy, understand that dog allergies are a real thing. Survey your staff and ask them if they are allergic or even afraid of dogs. You don't want to alienate someone just because you want to bring your dog to the office.
Doggy day care. Dogs can be, well, dogs. They are messy and sometimes have accidents--and when they do, the owner need to take care of it ASAP. I had a client inform me that she brought her young pup to her workplace, and he scurried into the CEO's office and pooped under his desk. She wasn't able to clean it and blamed it on a large rodent. Don't let yourself get tangled up in a lie.
Puppy distractions. If your dog isn't well behaved, don't bring him into work. You'll be spending more time reprimanding him than actually getting your work done. Conversely, even the best-behaved dogs can be procrastination tools. You pet him, Instagram him, introduce him to coworkers...before you know it, it's 5:00 and you haven't accomplished anything at work.
Positive attitude. Having a dog around can boost morale, especially on intense project days. Playing with a dog for few minutes can increase your energy and motivate you. However, you should time these breaks carefully. As mentioned above, five minutes can easily turn into an hour. However, dogs do increase camaraderie in offices--they are great conversation starters.
8 Companies That Let You Being Your Dog to Work
If you are anything like me and want a pet, but your long work hours would mean leaving him home alone, these eight companies might be the best places for you to work. They understand that pets are a big part of company culture and work life balance. Let's take a look:
Google – The search giant's dog-friendly policy can be found in their Code of Conduct: "Google's affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture. We like cats, but we're a dog company, so as a general rule we feel cats visiting our offices would be fairly stressed out." However, Google makes it clear that this isn't a free-for-all. According to this CNBC article the rules are as follow:
- Employees have to get approval from their managers and work neighbors to make sure everyone's okay with it.
- Dogs aren't allowed in meetings, break areas or on the sand volleyball court.
- A one-strike policy for messes or aggressive behavior is strictly enforced.
Saatchi & Saatchi LA - This award-winning advertising agency's west coast team recognizes how important pooches are at the office. According to Candice Dorsey, the PR Supervisor for Saatchi & Saatchi LA, "We're a dog friendly workplace and anyone can bring their dog, as long as they pass training and are less than 40 pounds. We can bring them to work every day!" Candice also pointed out that in order to accommodate workers with pet-related allergies, dogs are not allowed on any piece of furniture.
Trupanion – This Seattle-based medical insurance provider for dogs and cats was founded by Darryl Rawlings and his pup Charlie. It's only natural that the company gives every employee the option to bring two well behaved pets to the office. Trupanion currently has 227 dogs (and some cats) and around 400 employees. That's a 2:1 ratio – the highest in the country. They even have a dog-walking service and a vet on site.
Kathryn Clappison, Public Relations Specialist from Trupanion, said that the company's "office petiquette" is extremely important. Employees who bring their pets to work minimize distractions through obedience training to keep dogs calm and quiet, silencing squeaky toys, and maintaining coworkers' personal space. Clappison further elaborated that the Trupanion office has been "dog-proofed" and is secured with baby gates or tethers, and the furry friends are always under supervision. "They must be up to date on vaccinations, and pet owners are offered advice on how to keep pets safe and well-behaved during the work day. Any accidents are immediately taken care of by the pet owner, and Trupanion offers cleaning resources to do so," said Clappison.
Build – A- Bear Workshop – This customizable toy company might be seeking some loveable inspiration from the cute pets that roam around their office. Their official office policy states:
"Our furry friends work alongside us at our World Bearquarters (Headquarters) and it is not uncommon to see a birthday cele-bear-ation invite sent to the office pups. All of their four-legged friends join in the fun which always seems to include birthday cake and frosty paws just for the dogs! For safety reasons we cannot have our furry friends work alongside us at our Bearhouse (Distribution Center) every day, but we do reserve several days a year to give our friends the op-bear-tunity to visit."
Defined Logic - While this digital experience consulting firm doesn't have an official policy about dogs, their team warmly welcomes any member of an employee's family into the office--even if they have four legs. Bryan C. Galloway, Business Analyst from Defined Logic, explained, "If something comes up and an employee needs to bring their dog into the office, it's not an issue as long as the dog is well behaved and does not interfere in the office. We had one dog that was snapping at everyone, so that obviously didn't work."
Usually, though, they do. Galloway's favorite involved one employee's dog running into the conference room during a meeting, jumping up on a chair, and quietly watching the entire meeting, as if she was ready to jump in with an idea at any moment. "We even included her in the meeting attendance," he said. "Sometimes our personal lives overlap with work and it's great to have an employer who recognizes this and is willing be flexible."
Kimpton Hotels – While this hotel chain extends an invite to guests with furry companions (without an extra fee) they also have a Director of Pet Relations at several of their properties. The program started in 2004 and uses a well-behaved and friendly dog as the "honorary staff of the canine persuasion to help greet guests and test out their pet-approved products.
The hotel has been welcoming pets since 1981; founder Bill Kimpton would often bring his pet to work. According to an article on their website regarding their pet policy, "As with all our employees, we have a pretty intense screening process for our Directors of Pet Relations. Dogs that possess a loving spirit, follow directions well, and know when it's appropriate to engage with a guest and when to give them space are top candidates for the job. A love of the limelight doesn't hurt either, as many of our directors have been featured in articles and on television."
Etsy – This crafty e-commerce company understands how dogs can greatly impact their internal company culture. They have been dog-friendly for almost 10 years. According to Employee Experience Manager Sarah Starpoli, "It's one of the ways we strive to maintain a casual, creative, and inspiring work environment. In addition to sharing meals, riding bikes to our local farm to compost office waste, and volunteering, bringing our dogs to work helps keep spirits high and fosters a sense of community and connection that is paramount to what Etsy is all about."
Zynga – Developing games on a daily basis sounds awesome enough, but being able to bring your pooch to work doubles it. The company is named after the founder Mark Pincus' American bulldog, Zinga, and it's always been a dog-friendly operation. At Zynga, the ratio of employees to pups is about 9:1. According to Colleen McCreary, the Chief People Officer, dogs have always been a part of Zynga culture. Zynga also has an area for doggy bathrooms, aptly named the "barking lot." They also look after your pet's well-being by offering pet insurance and dog food on site.